“Mr. Rose Bowl” Spartan 2014 Super DT Recruit Enoch Smith Jr. Keeps Doing the Right Things On and Off The Field

There’s a lot to love about 2014 MSU recruit Enoch Smith Jr. The 6-2 280 defensive tackle out of Chicago’s Mt. Carmel high school has been impressing coaches for years with his skills and unrelenting effort on the field as well his integrity off the field.

As one of the premier recruits is the nation, Enoch was recently chosen as one of only 55 players in the county to represent Team USU in the International All American game against team Canada on February 7th in Arlington Texas.

Enoch’s success as a player and his potential for future greatness has earned him the honor of being named by Spartan Nation the number 1 recruit in the 2014 Spartan class. When informed about earning this award during an interview on Spartan Nation Radio, Enoch was both surprised and humbled.

“As of right now, I am still in a state of shock” then continuing, “it’s a great honor, especially coming out of a class with such great talent.”

That talented 2014 class he will be leading next season has, according to Enoch, forged a special bond together during their recruitment process.

While being recruited he said, “I have built a bond with these guys I will cherish for the rest of my life.” For Enoch, “Its more than just a commitment to a school, it’s a brotherhood we’ve built ever since we all committed.” That brotherhood will only strengthen once the 2014 class gets to work in East Lansing. The “family” he said “will continue to grow as soon as I step foot on the Michigan State campus.”

Perhaps the most important member of Enoch’s Spartan family is Defensive Line Coach Ron Burton. For Enoch, Coach Burton has become “like a second father”, where the two men have developed a relationship far deeper than that of just a player and a coach. Concerned with more than just football, Coach Burton regularly communicates with Enoch about their religion, as well as issues relating to academics and other personal issues that may be on his mind.

When asked about his feelings after MSU’s victory in the Rose Bowl, Enoch told Spartan Nation Radio listeners that he took great pride watching the Spartans persevere in Pasadena, despite the adversity they had to deal with before the game.

The win, he said “meant a lot, especially with so many people saying they couldn’t do it without Max Bullough.” The team, however, was able to find a way to pull together, and the way they “smacked Stanford in the mouth, showed everybody they are a team to be reckoned with.”

Now known at his high school now as “Mr. Rose Bowl”, Enoch will certainly help future Spartan teams continue to show the country that MSU football is here to stay. We here at Spartan Nation are so proud of Enoch for his work on the field and for his character as a young man and we are honored to name him our number 1 player for the 2014 recruiting class.

Smith, Jr. has been nominated to be player of the year. You can CLICK RIGHT HERE and vote for the new Spartan QB hunter to win the award.